Arcane fatigue [Archive] - Wizards Community

Arcane fatigue [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Old_One
09-07-04, 12:07 PM Ever since I started playing D&D I thought that mages once they get to a certin lvl get a bit to careless with their spels. When I discoverd that they could cast almost 3 spels per round (haste + quicken + 1 ation spels, 3.0) it just didn't sound right. When we started playing 3.5 this was not a problem for a while but when our sorcerer got his part of the loot and spent it on reserching a new spell called Googys Mind Haste (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=303091). Now I'm thinking about a little house rule to make spell casters think twice before unleashing 15 magic missles, or 3 firebals in 6 sconds.
I would like to introduce a new concept into my game: The Arcane Fatige.

The flavor: Every time a caster works his magic it takes a little of his stamina. If he stays within the usual norms it doesn't bother him much, maybe he feels a bit light headed or breathes a little hevier but he can still swing his sword or cast again in 5 or ten second. But when he pushes himself beyond these limits he risks suffer from Arcane Fatige.

The mechanics: Every time a character casts more than one spell per round, he needs to make a modified fortitude check (his base fort save + his key casting ability). The DC is 10 + the cumulative spell level casted.
So if Googy, a 7th lvl sorc with a 22 charisma, was to cast his mind haste first on him self and then on his friend the wizard; on the end of that round he would have to make a fortitude save vs a DC 16 (10+3+3=16) with a +8 bonus (+2 basse + 6 key ability) or he would be fatigued on his next round. If he was to do something simalar on his next round, with lets say two fireballs, the DC would be 22 (16 from the 1st round and another +6 from this one).
def_mornahan
09-07-04, 12:44 PM I think that with this addendum, that new spell is a pretty good, reasonable spell. I would consider adding a "critical failure" (fail the save by 10 or more, pass out for 1d6 rounds and then wake up fatigued).
Old_One
09-07-04, 01:55 PM Well actuely that is what I forgot to mention in the original post. :embarrass :embarrass :embarrass
*beats himslef with a shovle*
If the charcter is to fail a check he is then fatigued, if he fails a second one he is exhousted and if he fails a another he passes out for a certien time, and 1d6 rounds sound just about right, thank you def_mornahan.

Now I have thought about the consecutive rounds. What if the caster casts 2 spells in round 1, but then casts only one spell in round 2? And what if he than casts 2 more in round 3?
I was thinking to make it that if you have a slight pause in beatwen exerting yourself maybe the 2nd save should have a DC, using the above exemple, of 19. Wich is to say 10 + half the total of spell levles from the original DC + total spell levels cast in this rounnd.
shift244
09-08-04, 03:56 AM erm.. i think that the very possibility of casting more than one spell a round (save from the quicken feat, but that has a great cost) should not be allowed.
Old_One
09-08-04, 05:59 AM Well I actuely do think that the casters are not as powerfull as they should be but that is beside the point. I have already had this dicusion this my group and we have all agread upon it. Wich is actuely funny considering we have only 2 casters out of the 6 of us.
A Flying Buddha
09-08-04, 10:56 PM But what does this googy's mind haste do? maybe it just isn't a viable spell to be researched....
Cade Hedger
09-08-04, 11:14 PM you do relize that arcane casters are already punished for casting multiple spells in a round. its called running out of spells, ill break it down, haste is a lvl 3 spell then next round you could (possibly) cast 3 magic missles. one quickened (using a lvl 4 slot) and two regular (2 lvl 1 slots) so for one round of casting more then two spells i have to take a feat waste a round and then spend the spell slots. it takes a lot of set up and it takes a good number of slots per day, a smart caster wouldnt waste slot like that unless absolutle nesscary
General Dorsey
09-09-04, 03:27 AM Cade Hedger has a valid point. I am working on an epic character who can cast over 100 spells per day. Before I made some adjustments, I could potentially cast all my spells in less than 3 rounds. After making some adjustments, I can still go through all of them 5 rounds. That is rather a lot. However, I am now spent. I must rely on my magic items and scrolls. I do have many of those, but now I am going through my other resources that cost me XP to create.

I do understand where you are coming from though. You may want to the rules on casting fatigue. I haven't gone through them much, but they seem similar to the 2nd edition version. We had a channeler in 2nd edition who ended up killing himself (heroically) by overcasting his spells.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Old_One 09-07-04, 12:07 PM	Ever since I started playing D&D I thought that mages once they get to a certin lvl get a bit to careless with their spels. When I discoverd that they could cast almost 3 spels per round (haste + quicken + 1 ation spels, 3.0) it just didn't sound right. When we started playing 3.5 this was not a problem for a while but when our sorcerer got his part of the loot and spent it on reserching a new spell called Googys Mind Haste (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=303091). Now I'm thinking about a little house rule to make spell casters think twice before unleashing 15 magic missles, or 3 firebals in 6 sconds. I would like to introduce a new concept into my game: The Arcane Fatige. The flavor: Every time a caster works his magic it takes a little of his stamina. If he stays within the usual norms it doesn't bother him much, maybe he feels a bit light headed or breathes a little hevier but he can still swing his sword or cast again in 5 or ten second. But when he pushes himself beyond these limits he risks suffer from Arcane Fatige. The mechanics: Every time a character casts more than one spell per round, he needs to make a modified fortitude check (his base fort save + his key casting ability). The DC is 10 + the cumulative spell level casted. So if Googy, a 7th lvl sorc with a 22 charisma, was to cast his mind haste first on him self and then on his friend the wizard; on the end of that round he would have to make a fortitude save vs a DC 16 (10+3+3=16) with a +8 bonus (+2 basse + 6 key ability) or he would be fatigued on his next round. If he was to do something simalar on his next round, with lets say two fireballs, the DC would be 22 (16 from the 1st round and another +6 from this one).
def_mornahan 09-07-04, 12:44 PM	I think that with this addendum, that new spell is a pretty good, reasonable spell. I would consider adding a "critical failure" (fail the save by 10 or more, pass out for 1d6 rounds and then wake up fatigued).
Old_One 09-07-04, 01:55 PM	Well actuely that is what I forgot to mention in the original post. :embarrass :embarrass :embarrass beats himslef with a shovle If the charcter is to fail a check he is then fatigued, if he fails a second one he is exhousted and if he fails a another he passes out for a certien time, and 1d6 rounds sound just about right, thank you def_mornahan. Now I have thought about the consecutive rounds. What if the caster casts 2 spells in round 1, but then casts only one spell in round 2? And what if he than casts 2 more in round 3? I was thinking to make it that if you have a slight pause in beatwen exerting yourself maybe the 2nd save should have a DC, using the above exemple, of 19. Wich is to say 10 + half the total of spell levles from the original DC + total spell levels cast in this rounnd.
shift244 09-08-04, 03:56 AM	erm.. i think that the very possibility of casting more than one spell a round (save from the quicken feat, but that has a great cost) should not be allowed.
Old_One 09-08-04, 05:59 AM	Well I actuely do think that the casters are not as powerfull as they should be but that is beside the point. I have already had this dicusion this my group and we have all agread upon it. Wich is actuely funny considering we have only 2 casters out of the 6 of us.
A Flying Buddha 09-08-04, 10:56 PM	But what does this googy's mind haste do? maybe it just isn't a viable spell to be researched....
Cade Hedger 09-08-04, 11:14 PM	you do relize that arcane casters are already punished for casting multiple spells in a round. its called running out of spells, ill break it down, haste is a lvl 3 spell then next round you could (possibly) cast 3 magic missles. one quickened (using a lvl 4 slot) and two regular (2 lvl 1 slots) so for one round of casting more then two spells i have to take a feat waste a round and then spend the spell slots. it takes a lot of set up and it takes a good number of slots per day, a smart caster wouldnt waste slot like that unless absolutle nesscary
General Dorsey 09-09-04, 03:27 AM	Cade Hedger has a valid point. I am working on an epic character who can cast over 100 spells per day. Before I made some adjustments, I could potentially cast all my spells in less than 3 rounds. After making some adjustments, I can still go through all of them 5 rounds. That is rather a lot. However, I am now spent. I must rely on my magic items and scrolls. I do have many of those, but now I am going through my other resources that cost me XP to create. I do understand where you are coming from though. You may want to the rules on casting fatigue. I haven't gone through them much, but they seem similar to the 2nd edition version. We had a channeler in 2nd edition who ended up killing himself (heroically) by overcasting his spells.